The Louisiana state House recently passed a bill that would classify abortion-inducing drugs, misoprostol and mifeprostone, as Schedule IV controlled dangerous substances in the state. This move places these drugs in the same category as highly regulated substances like narcotics and depressants. The bill passed with a vote of 64-29 in the House and now heads back to the Senate for concurrence. The legislation would make it a crime to give abortion medication to a person without their consent, with penalties including up to five years in prison and fines of up to $5,000 for possession of the drugs without a valid prescription.
Republican state Sen. Thomas Pressly sponsored the bill after his sister was given misoprostol against her will. Louisiana currently bans abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest. In a medication abortion, mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone needed for a pregnancy to continue, while misoprostol causes the uterus to contract, leading to cramping and bleeding. These drugs are approved for use in other conditions and have been available at pharmacies for decades. The amended bill includes an exemption for pregnant women in possession of these drugs for their own use, allowing doctors in the state to still prescribe them.
Vice President Kamala Harris criticized the bill, calling it “absolutely unconscionable” and blaming Donald Trump for the legislation. However, anti-abortion groups like Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America celebrated the bill’s passage, stating that the drugs would still be available for legitimate medical reasons but would be harder for abusers to obtain. The bill sparked outcry from a group of nearly 270 Louisiana physicians, healthcare providers, and medical students who signed a letter expressing concerns over the reclassification. They argued that the drugs have no potential for abuse, dependence, public health risks, or high rates of adverse side effects.
Senator Pressly defended the bill, stating that it would not prohibit misoprostol or mifepristone from being prescribed for legitimate reasons. He claimed that the provision would not harm healthcare for women, according to the doctors he consulted with. If the state Senate accepts the amended bill passed by the House, it will then go to Governor Jeff Landry, who is a Republican. If signed into law, Louisiana would become the only state to classify these abortion-inducing drugs as controlled dangerous substances. The story continues to develop, with additional updates expected.
